#PressPlay: Anderson .Paak

May 4, 2016

By admin

If Anderson .Paak were a word, he’d be an onomatopoeia. He is a sound representative of sound, of texture, of absolute sensuality. When I first heard his music and eventually witnessed him do his thing live in person…mmmmm. I’m getting ahead of myself here–let’s first dissect the music. As one of Prism’s top favorite acts from this year’s SXSW and, not surprisingly, the 2016 Gulke Prize Winner for Developing U.S. Act, one shared with a past winner like Leon Bridges, (another favorite around here at Prism) he’s on his way to something spectacular spectacular.

He’s an absolute ball of musical energy, like sonic fission on the verge of becoming nuclear. Paak sounds like Kendrick Lamar if Lamar began his career making the kind of complex, jazz-fueled tunes he’s releasing now. In other words, the drummer/singer/comedian/musician extraordinaire in Anderson .Paak has quite the successful future ahead of him. Live, his shows are kind of like a jam with old friends–interacting with the audience and fellow musicians as he effortlessly weaves through hype-filled song lyrics and addictive beats on his kit.

In the world of excessive hype and drawn-out build up, Anderson .Paak gives our ears exactly what they need: respite. Like the multiple breath breaks you take during a passionate hook up, his tunes elevate listeners until they come up for air, then bring us back down for jams as sexy as they come. All puns intended. We’re kind of freaking out that this insane talent (and his beautiful smile/nose ring/laugh) will be in town next Friday, opening up for Florence + The Machine at AA. So buy your tickets and come fan-out with us. Meanwhile, get in the mood with some of our favorite of his jams from Malibu with The Free Nationals below: